Full Issue
Dear Readers:
Sometimes there are just a lot of new topics raised, and a lot of
news made, in themail, and all I have to do is step out of the way. This
is one of those issues.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Boys Town Continues Its Assault on Democracy
Kenan Jarboe, Chair, ANC 6B, kenan.jarboe@verizon.net
Apparently it was not enough for the anti-democracy leadership of
Boys Town to sue citizens of the District of Columbia for exercising
their Constitutional right to petition their government. Now they are
mounting a full scale assault on DC home rule. The Congressman from Boys
Town, Lee Terry, is asking the House DC Appropriations Subcommittee to
overturn a Board of Zoning Adjustment decision that went against Boys
Town — citing our supposed irrationality as grounds for this blatantly
undemocratic action. The arrogance of this act is mind boggling — matched only by the disrespect it shows for the citizens of the District
of Columbia. What is next? Maybe Boys Town would like to open up a
nightclub and will ask Congress to grant them a liquor license?
I call upon Boys Town, and their zoning attorneys, to immediately
repudiate this loathsome action. It is my intention to place this matter
on the ANC 6B agenda for our June meeting and to invite Boys Town and
their attorneys to explain their behavior.
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The DC Tax Office appears to be taking management lessons from the
DMV. I, and several others in this area, received nasty notices “of
Delinquency and Final Bill for Delinquent Real Property Tax Prior to Tax
Sale.” That sort of missive gets your attention. Of course our
property taxes had in fact
been paid, via our mortgage companies. But the Tax Office will not
accept the mortgage company's monthly statement as any evidence that the
taxes have been paid; they want photocopies of the check, nothing less.
The citizen is presumed to be guilty, and must prove innocence, in this
case by prevailing upon the mortgage company to provide the DC
bureaucrats with the check images.
This I did, and, after allowing most of a week to pass to give the
bureaucracy time to absorb the information, I called to check that my
tax status had been cleared. No such thing, of course; the Tax Office
still claims that my taxes are unpaid. I protested that my mortgage
company had faxed the check images early in the week. Oh, the Tax Office
guy said, the people who update our records haven't been in for several
days. I guess I'm just supposed to hope that they show up for work
sometime before my house is sold at auction. Oh yes, from the Washington
Post this week: “The DC Office of Tax and Revenue, once derided for
failing regularly to process or even locate tax returns, has won a
national award for using technology to improve customer service.”
Yeah, right.
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Trees, Iowa, and Adams Morgan
Phil Carney, philnopus@erols.com
Trees: Just saw three “emergency no parking” signs put onto
trees with screws, despite MPD’s claim that users are given proper
tree mounting instruction by officers issuing the signs. Also just saw
an estate sale sign nailed on a tree with three nails. And the alleged
environment group Clean Water Action is using thumbtacks to put their
signs on trees. The District can't be bothered to publicize this, but
damaging a city sidewalk tree is a criminal offense punishable by a
$500.00 fine.
Iowa: Sunday morning I met on the street and visited with neighbors
and fellow Iowans Bill and Betty Briggs. Only after I rode away on my
bike did I realize that I had been going around the neighborhood pulling
down illegal public space posters and had a bag full hanging on the
handlebars. Bill and Betty had been walking around the neighborhood
picking up trash and Bill had a large bucket full. Seems to me, we need
more people in this town from Iowa.
Adams Morgan: Biked up 18th Street, NW, to the Zoo. My mistake. Trash
and graffiti blights the Marie Reed Learning Center and the rest of
commercial 18th looks dirty, ugly and blighted with trash and graffiti.
I was embarrassed. I’m ashamed that my next door neighborhood is
allowed to look so decrepit and rundown. What is with the people of
Adams Morgan?
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Stein Democratic Club Endorses Williams, Mendelson
Kurt Vorndran, Kvorn@nteu.org
The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club today endorsed Mayor Anthony
Williams (D) for reelection as mayor of the District of Columbia. The
Mayor, along with other declared candidates, had appeared before a
general membership meeting of the Stein Democrats asking for the
organization's support. Club President Kurt Vorndran stated “Mayor
Williams and his administration has brought this city back to life. For
our community and everyone in DC, he has help make a government that
works.” The Mayor spoke of his strong record of outreach and
advocacy to the GLBT community including the appointment of community
leaders to various boards and commissions. At the same meeting, the Club
endorsed DC Council Chairman Linda Cropp for reelection as well as
At-Large Councilmember Phil Mendelson. “Phil Mendelson is a
consistent friend of our community. We need his voice and vote on the DC
Council.” Vorndran noted. Mendelson has been a leader on several
concerns of the gay and lesbian community including health care and law
enforcement matters.
In other action, the Club in a lopsided voice vote with over sixty
persons in attendance, voted to support a proposal by Councilmember Jim
Graham (D) to enact into law an office of GLBT Affairs. Currently, Mayor
Williams has authorized a GLBT liaison within another office. The Graham
legislation would make this post permanent and increase its resources.
Mayor Williams announced his support of the Graham proposal. The
Gertrude Stein Democratic Club is the largest gay/lesbian political
organization for the District of Columbia and traditionally one of the
most influential DC civic organizations in DC on Election Day. It is
affiliated with the National Stonewall Democrats.
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At-Large Councilmember Mendelson left very few of us sympathetic with
his attempt to strike Councilmember Schwartz's Klingle Road language out
of the Budget Support Act. In the process, Mr. Mendelson mocks those who
have taken bold steps to bring this issue to a conclusion, and rewrites
history that Mr. Mendelson himself helped to create. First, nobody wants
to “repave Klingle Valley” as Mr. Mendelson states. That
proposition, to fill in Klingle valley, actually was put forth by a
developer in the early 1900's, and fortunately was never adopted.
Consequently, for over a century citizens have been able to enjoy
Klingle valley with its attendant parkway, Klingle Road, a parkway that
has become an embarrassing boondoggle as the result of poor city
management and protracted delay, much of which occurred during the
Marion Barry administrations.
At long last, the Council has taken bold steps to force the
administration to take action. Mr. Mendelson's cry of “delay”
rings hollow, indeed. Those who want to destroy historic Klingle Road
are on record as being happy with the status quo, happily biding their
time while Mother Nature does their job for them. Mayor Williams wrapped
himself in the green of environmentalism when he announced his impolitic
decision to close Klingle Road sua sponte to public motor vehicle use,
yet still nothing has been done to address the public health hazards in
Klingle valley. The Council's step, endorsed by an overwhelming
majority, forces the administration to take action, while allowing
critically needed remediation work to the sewer and storm systems, and
protections against further erosion of the roadbed.
The notion that the public accepted an unlawful decision in 1995 by a
DPW official to close a public road is belied by the public record and
Mr. Mendelson's own actions. Former ANC Commissioner Mendelson voted
against that decision to close the road, and overwhelming ANC support
for opening the road continues to grow to this day. Nine ANCs and the
citywide ANC Assembly have voted to restore the road. Thankfully, the
Council's action will guarantee that these voices will be heard and
given the great weight they deserve. Mr. Mendelson would have us believe
that judgment was the cause of his recent flip-flop on the Klingle Road
issue. Looks more like a convenience to us to garner political support
from a few. That sort of “judgment” has to be questioned.
Mendelson now takes sides with single interest activists, against the
overwhelming desires of the constituents he was elected to represent.
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I've read recently (Washington Post?; NW Current?) that the city's
art galleries are committing a crime worthy of punishment. They've been
directed to cease serving wine, something virtually every gallery does
at openings. Wowser, this is serious stuff! You buy wine, paying the
various taxes that are included in the price, serve it gratis to your
clientele and are now subject to a fine. Dear God, what would the social
police do if they knew we do just that in our office occasionally? Would
they break through our door, tell us to cease and desist and present us
with a ticket for $100 or so? And when will we be told that we can't
serve, ahem, the demonic alcoholic beverages in our own homes? I'm
beginning to regret admitting that I'm a child of the '60s. My
generation has yet to find bottom, but it's getting closer with nonsense
like this. Is this really why we have a government? A pox on the social
police.
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Memorial Day in Washington, District of Columbia 2002
Mark David Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com
About two years ago, Tom Sherwood reported on the District of
Columbia World War Memorial in East Potomac Park on the National Mall.
In 2000, an article in The Washington Post also drew attention to its
need of restoration. Tom Sherwood and I coauthored a story about the
Memorial for The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7625-2002May24.html).
As I
mentioned previously, the Noyes family played an important role in DC’s
civic life. Theodore Noyes led the campaign that eventually led to the
passage of the Amendment granting DC “the right to vote for
President.” Frank Noyes (son of Crosby Noyes and President of The
Evening Star), his wife Janet, and his son Newbold launched a District
wide campaign to build the white marble Doric temple bandstand to honor
DC's men and women who served the nation in the armed forces after World
War One. It was completed in 1931. The war was over, but the loses left
pain among the families whose sons and daughters sacrificed their lives.
DC had sent the first man to war — Henry Chapman Gilbert, an African
American who actively sought enlistment in the National Army (a draft
army). His family lived on Park Road. DC was first in that war to
implement the draft and sent 26,000 men and women, black and white. The
men and women who died -- a number approximately the size of Congress
— are listed on the DC World War Memorial -- integrated alphabetically. So
there were two brothers — one who focused on rights, another who
focused on responsibility and service, and that is the context of the
story.
I have wondered about the history of the memorial, but I didn’t
find anything written. During the recent protests on the Mall, I stopped
by the memorial and spoke with a Park Service official. After, I wrote a
brief history about it based on Star articles chronicling the effort
compiled in a crumbling scrapbook at the Washingtoniana Room of the DCPL
(the librarians were incredibly helpful in locating this material!).
Those who built the memorial said at its dedication, “We build, and
leave the still unfinished work for those who follow us to accomplish.
It is a pleasing thought to believe that when many, many years have
rolled over the hill and the children of our children pause a moment
over the names carved on this memorial they can look about them at the
things that men have sought to do and say, 'They built well.'”
Today, our generation needs to restore and continue the work of a
previous generation. The detailed history is at http://www.dcwatch.com/richards/020526.htm.
A number of democracy and Congressional voting rights groups,
including Stand Up for Democracy, DC Vote, Democracy First, are holding
a Memorial Day Tribute to DC Veterans of All Wars at noon on Memorial
Day. Kerwin Miller, Director, DC Veterans Affairs Office, will give the
keynote address. Barbara Pittman, special assistant Executive of the
Mayor, will read a mayoral proclamation. We will lay a wreath at 12:30.
To learn more about the event, see http://standupfordemocracy.org.
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Building a Great City on the Mall
Winston Smith, anjinsan@his.com
I haven't seen any postings on the District's efforts to collect
unpaid parking tickets. Have others had experiences with this collection
agency? Any advice on how to deal with this would be appreciated. It's
not about keeping the streets clear, actually, or even about safety.
It's about MONEY, pure and simple, and it transcends administrations.
During the early 80s I saw one of the most cynical mass exercises in
urban government of my life (and I'm from Maryland!). It was a weekend
of rallies to honor the anniversary of Dr. King's speech, and like so
many others I went down to the Mall — you know, the national, people's
mall. Anyway, cars arrived in droves, most with out of state (and out of
region) tags, and not knowing any better, parked around the Mall and
released their exhausted passengers. No sooner had a certain
concentration of cars parked than Marion's tow trucks emerged from
hiding, in orderly organized ranks, and began ticketing and towing these
cars! What a great welcome, on the occasion of Martin's anniversary, to
the nation's capital!
One truck backed up to a motorcycle dropped its harness and started
to “collect” a motorcycle — but the vehicle's rider saw this,
ran back to his machine, hopped on board and roared off, to the
consternation of the truck operator and the applause and cheers of us
bystanders. Given the occasion, an unbelievable exercise in cynical
predatory opportunism from the Barry administration. Sort of set the
tone, it did, for my subsequent perceptions of urban government.
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For the reader who thought the unpaid fines on the parking tickets
would go away, my advice would be to negotiate with the collection
agency and pay the tickets. The unpaid tickets will show up on one's
credit report and will damage an otherwise clean credit report. The
issue of parking enforcement and traffic flow needs improvement. The
management of the ticket writers is not what it should be anywhere in
the city. We can tell stories of what goes on in Georgetown. Another
major problem is the lack towing of illegally parked cars during rush
hour almost anywhere in the city during rush hours.
It is time for our city to get serious about enforcing the rules and
improving the flow of traffic. The rules in place are fine. What is
missing is the proper enforcement of those rules.
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If You Can’t Track, Add Another Job
Susan Ousley, Slousley@aol.com
Does anyone know if DMV got the go-ahead to require to issue ID's to
school kids, as it asked?
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Chief Ramsey’s Terrorism Problem
Nick Keenan, Shaw, nbk@gsionline.com
Last week was “Police Week,” where officers from all over
the country converge on DC to honor their comrades killed in the line of
duty. Predictably, this year's proceedings focused on September 11, the
deadliest day in the history of American law enforcement. What was
somewhat surprising was that Chief Ramsey, who has never been media-shy,
was virtually invisible in the proceedings. He had nothing to say to any
of the local papers or TV stations covering the event.
Ramsey is a smart guy, and he knows this is dangerous territory for
him. His anti-terrorism credentials are spotty at best. He has been a
staunch supporter of Leroy Thorpe, personally insisting that the
Department's resources be used to advance Thorpe's political agenda.
Leroy's outrageous behavior has made him locally famous for years, but
he achieved international notice on September 11, when he gave an
interview saying that it was a “great day,” that the terrorist
attacks were justified, and that America deserved to be attacked. The
story was picked up by news services and ran in papers around the
country and internationally. I spoke with Leroy in November, and I can
report that he has not changed his view on the matter. Ramsey is smart
enough to know that this would not fly with his brethren in blue, and
kept his head low.
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I'm a newbie to riding taxis and I'm confused. Why do bunches of cabs
have little signs on top that read TAXI CALL 911? Sometimes that is also
painted on the side. I assume the emergency operators have better things
to do than dispatch cabs. Also, regarding cab costs: I have a weekly
appointment that takes me from my office at Connecticut and L to a
building across from the zoo. It's a straight shot up Connecticut at
11:50 a.m. I have paid $6.90, $7.90, and $8.60. For the same exact ride,
same exact traffic, same exact route. Like I said, I'm confused.
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UDC Commencement Exercise
Kenneth Howard, DC Tuition Assistance Program, Kenneth.Howard@dc.gov
Forwarded E-mail from Marian D. Smith, Martiffeb@aol.com:
“Last
weekend I attended the commencement graduation exercise at the
University of Maryland Eastern Shore with my daughter, a freshman FAMU student. The weekend before we volunteered, were volunteered,
and worked the commencement graduation exercise of The University of the
District of Columbia. As we were sitting in the audience at UMES my
daughter said you know you would expect so much more from UMES in
comparison to UDC. She said that UDC's was a class act. So much
attention to detail. and organization. From flowers, to the facility, to
the extra quality student robes, the reverence and respect given to each
graduate. The patience and respect given from the students after waiting
in the dark underground standing up for two hours. It even started on
time. With all the negative and stereotypical portrayals of DC people
and UDC as a University she was actually moved and said she felt tears.
Thus started a conversation between mother and daughter.
“The conversation topic went like this. At UDC we saw African
Americans with pants on their buttocks with belts, dress pants and no
jeans, dress shoes no Nikes or Jordan's, no hootchies and no T and A's.
We saw young men finding chairs for pregnant women, we saw concerned and
supportive graduates. We saw unity and pride. We saw ironed robes and
hoods carefully displayed. We saw and heard directions followed. We
didn't hear one word of profanity. We were waiting for the DC people to
show up. We saw Asians, Indians, Africans, Caucasians, and African
Americans as one. We saw a community. The details, souvenir bookmarks,
commencement volunteers with extra hoods and caps. The silence respect
given when the colors were presented. We heard a student speech, not in
Ebonics but from a young woman that you hope to see as a teacher or a
political leader. She even remembered and acknowledged those that helped
her to stand on the platform. She was an inspiration for every
grandmother raising a grand child, single mother, working mother and
father, or just being 84 years young earning an Associates degree. . . .
Please extend our greatest thanks, respect and love to all at UDC. Their
labor did not go unnoticed and it will not go unrewarded. Thank them for
our future.”
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The DC Housing Finance Agency (HFA) is requesting applications for
the use of $4,000,000 in McKinney Act funds from tenant groups and
organizations developing affordable housing for very low-income
residents in Washington. McKinney Act loans are intended for use by
groups that may lack the financial resources necessary to pay for the
initial costs of planning and undertaking an affordable housing
initiatives. The funds may be used to purchase apartment buildings by
tenant organizations; to develop affordable housing for persons with
special needs such as the elderly, the homeless, the physically
challenged, and persons recovering from substance abuse; to pay for
pre-development and development soft costs, acquisition and operating
deficit guarantees; to supplement loans to existing projects for
enhancements and deferred maintenance; and to purchase buildings under
the District’s First Right of Refusal law.
The HFA has used McKinney Act funds to finance projects that include
Border Babies, Neighbor’s Consejo, Efforts from Ex-Convicts, Access
Housing, Inc., South East Veterans Center, The Riley Cheeks House, Inc.,
and Fairmont I and II Tenant Association. The Housing Finance Agency
will make three-year McKinney loans based on the project’s needs.
Historically, loans have ranged from $7,500 to $300,000. The interest
rate is 2% below the prime lending rate plus a 1% loan origination fee.
McKinney Act loans underwritten in-house and approved by the Board of
Directors.
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National Jewish Museum Moving
Diana Altman, DAltman@bnaibrith.org
On June 17, 2002, as a consequence of the recent sale of the B'nai
B'rith Building, the B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum's
collections will be leaving their current location. Plans are being
developed for a new enlarged museum to be established in the Washington,
DC, area within the next few years. As an interim measure, a gallery of
artifacts from the B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum will be
installed within B'nai B'rith International's new headquarters at 2020 K
Street, NW. The Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection and Gallery
at B'nai B'rith will be a 1,600-square-foot display area, flanked by
additional conference areas that may be used for a variety of
collaborative cultural programs, lectures, and conferences. Having
served Washington audiences since 1957, “The Klutznick” at
1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, will remain open through 5:00 p.m.,
Sunday, June 17.
The interim gallery will be available for viewing on a limited basis
by advance reservation only. Viewings of the B'nai B'rith Collection may
be arranged Monday-Thursday (12:00-3:00 p.m.) and Sunday (selected
times), in all cases by appointment only. Individuals and tours may hear
information about visiting by calling 857-6513 or by E-mailing museum@bnaibrith.org.
The interim establishment of a gallery of highlights from the National
Jewish Museum represents the first stage of long-term plans for an
enlarged national Jewish museum in the nation's capital. The artifacts
displayed in the gallery will chronicle the heritage and contributions
of Jewish people throughout the world. The new gallery will feature key
objects of the renowned Joseph B. and Olyn Horwitz permanent collection
of Judaica. Interpretive groupings will dramatize important elements of
Jewish life and festival cycles. Anchoring the new gallery will be
President George Washington's letter to the Touro Synagogue in Rhode
Island, written in 1790, which pledges the United States Government's
commitment to give “to Bigotry No Sanction.” The letter is
remarkable as an unconditional pledge of religious freedom by the
country's first president. Another prominent feature will be the
Archives Reading Room for scholars and other researchers. Researcher
access to the B'nai B'rith Archives-which represents the development of
Jewish communities all over the world-will add a new dimension to B'nai
B'rith's mission of disseminating information about Jewish communities.
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Wingate Apartments Organized
Andre Johnson, ccadadc2@aol.com
The residents of the 700-unit Wingate Apartment complex have
organized and elected officers to start the process of purchasing the
complex from New York slum landlords. The building has been cited for
hundreds of city code violations and is facing possible fines for
violation of federal health and safety codes and civil rights
violations. Residents of The Wingates, led by Advisory Neighborhood
Commissioner Robin Denise Ijames, have retained a major legal and
venture capital team to assist in preparing the package to purchase the
building, which has numerous health and safety conditions, and will be
the target of an exclusive news report, to be released in the next few
weeks.
Wingates has been home to many prominent African Americans including
Marvin Gaye, Tammy Terrell, Eugene Kinlow, and Arthur H. Jackson, Jr.
The complex's basement is flooded with water, and the building is
contaminated with rodents. A major event is scheduled for mid June to
announce tenants plans to purchase the building. Media request should be
directed by E-mail to Andy Rodstein@ccadadc2@aol.com.
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Re: your comment in the latest themail, “Here's my rule:
boosters never built a great city; great cities are built by their critics.” What drivel! This sounds
like nothing more than a self justification to snivel. How do critics
“build” anything? By their very nature, they must criticize
that which already exists. They do not create new items, new cities;
they only respond to what others have done.
While I also value the need for critics to highlight problems and
injustices, it does not mean there is no place for the boosters. Both
have their place in building a great city. Just don't favor one over the
other. Yin and yang.
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Boosters don't build a great city. That wasn't my point. People who
hate everything about a place don't make it great either, though.
Without some basic pride in a place, there's no point in continuing. To
elaborate on my point about my trip to Dallas: one of my hosts was an
architect who is responsible for many of the new urbanist developments
in that city that have created the beginnings of walkable neighborhoods
with housing, retail, and office space designed about transit that make
it possible for people to get out of their cars and live like city
dwellers — something we take for granted here but which is a radical
idea there. It was refreshing to spend time with someone who likes the
place he lives, saw one of its big problems, and built a career around
improving it.
I just think it's healthy to stop and consider what's good now and
then. It gives us greater incentive to fix what's bad. I remember when I
first moved to DC and was reading themail's predecessor, dcstory. Early
on someone complained that recycling was back, but was upset that
recycling was collected the same day as trash. This is something most
people would call “convenient.” I commented to my housemate at
the time, “there's not a silver lining that people here can't find
a good dark cloud for.” Having come from a city whose citizens tend
to love their town beyond all reason just because it's theirs (Boston),
the difference here is startling, and I think one of DC's big handicaps.
###############
I for one don't object to constructive criticism, but a lot of people
in DC are either not constructive about their criticism or want to put
their ideas out there but not back them up with personal action. Let's
face it, we are a city of managers with far too few people to manage.
Everyone has an idea on how to solve our shared problems. Problem is few
are willing to do the hard work necessary to actually implement those
solutions. Their solution “The city should do XXX” or “Mayor Williams and the Council need to do XXX” When do we
ever hear people say “I will do XXX?”
Those who help solve our city's problems in little ways don't get
credit for it. For example, I have resisted buying a car because of how
bad parking in my neighborhood is. After all, why shouldn't I enjoy the
freedom that comes with car ownership that my neighbors enjoy? See how I
have contributed to solving a problem my neighborhood faces? Do you
think I ever get thanked for my personal sacrifice on my neighbors'
behalf? So maybe instead of continuing to blather in my ear how bad
parking in my neighborhood is my neighbors should be thanking me for not
making it as bad as it could be! And of course, when the day comes that
I do buy a car, instead of people giving me credit for the years of
car-free life I have lived they will blame me for contributing to the
congestion.
Here is a criticism from an infrequent critic. If you want to ease
parking in your neighborhood, ease overall traffic, save the
environment, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reduce the wear and
tear on our city's streets, reduce noise pollution, decrease pedestrian
accidents, and (if you are a big liberal) undermine capital imperialism
then just sell your car! If you have a simpler solution that will solve
that many problems I am open to hearing it. In the meantime I would like
to see our frequent critics tell us what they are doing to solve each of
the last three problems they have cited and inform us of their personal
sacrifices which contribute to a solution.
###############
While I completely agree that the failure to question and perhaps
criticize leads to complacency, I wonder if such pride should be taken
in the many rants and raves posted here. The District and its leaders
surely have their problems and it is certainly important to point them
out. Just as important and what I find alarmingly lacking here are
solutions. Yes, we can point out issues of concern, but only if we are
willing to take part in resolving them with and on behalf of our
leaders, will anything get accomplished.
Something's wrong with DPW? Call up Councilmember Schwartz's crew and
ask what you can do to help solve the problem. Apply the appropriate
leader to your problem and get active . . . not just on this board, but
on the streets and in the halls of government. We cannot simply throw up
our hands, bitch, moan, and expect miracles. Should we complain? Of
course. But you have to act on that complaint and in so doing, strive to
solve problems that effect the entire District.
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Lately I've noticed an unhealthy amount of denigrating of other US
cities in themail — Dallas a week ago, now Cleveland, Kansas City and
Indianapolis by our moderator. What gives? We're starting to sound like
a bunch of Europeans. Granted, these cities don't have the advantage of
having been planned by a Frenchman, are not the capital of the United
States, and they don't have billions in federal dollars pumping up their
economies. They may be not as nice to look at from the window of your
rental car. But I think this is nothing more than typical “inside
the beltway” elitism. Believe it or not, there are real communities
of people in Dallas, despite the fact that everyone drives there. They
build a sense of community primarily through their churches and schools,
rather than their professions or their Advisory Neighborhood
Commissions. And you would always drive there, too, once you've been
through a Texas summer.
I love it here, but I've spent time in other places, including Kansas
City and Dallas. I'm sure if you looked at some basic quality of life
indicators most midwestern cities would come out better than DC. Do
these cities have more than 200 murders a year? What is the crime rate?
How high are the taxes? High school dropout rate? Are these cities
overrun by rats? Are they clean? What is the air and water quality? Can
a person of moderate income afford to live there? Are their leaders or
local governments corrupt? And there are less measurable indicators,
like how friendly people are, and how slow and relaxed the pace of life
is. I've never met anyone in the Midwest who works 60-70 hours a week,
something which is common here. I know this sounds cliched, but I have
friends in a suburb of Topeka who don't lock their front door. They
would never have long discussions like this one over how superior their
city is to somewhere else, they just like it there. So please, boost or
criticize DC all you want, but not at the expense of other places full
of nice people.
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Good Government and Self Government
George S. LaRoche, LaRoche@us.net
Many of us make the point that responsible and accountable local
government is an intrinsic part of the full democracy and full
citizenship at issue in statehood or retrocession. Every government has
at least some corruption. Every government, at some time in its history,
has included at least one legislator or chief executive who was dismally
ineffective, stupid, or outright corrupt. Frequently, the corruption is
dispersed and ongoing. And it's unrealistic to hope we'll ever see and
end to plain old stupidity and irresponsible, opportunistic pipe
dreaming. But if we're not really talking about a government in the
first place, if all we're talking about is an administrative agency for
another government, and if the true government is not wholly and
intrinsically accountable to the people in the place we're talking about
(even if there were ersatz “representation” in it), then we're
not talking about “good government.” This doesn't excuse all
irrationality and corruption we find in the administrative agency, but
it explains some of it and it also explains why it's harder to root it
out and get rid of it.
The home rule “government” of DC is a unique federal
administrative agency. It was established to administer a colony
(“colony” as a matter of its legal/constitutional status). And
the home rule government behaves as most colonial governments behave.
For instance, as a political scientist named Mohamed Halfani noted a
couple years ago, though members of the home rule government run on
largely local and populist themes in order to get elected, once elected,
they turn their attention to satisfying and meeting the demands of
Congress instead of those who elected them. The same thing is seen in
every colony (and, by the way, in all the federal capitals which those
who support only representation in the national legislature look to as
models of what should happen in DC, with the same results as we see in DC). Degrees of this dynamic sometimes reflect base
venality in those seek these offices, but the dynamic will infect anyone
who wants to be part of such a colonial government and make it hard — if not impossible
— for them to be truly responsive to their
constituents. The colonial status of the District also helps explain why
it's unlikely that the corruption which themail has done so much to
identify and describe will be rooted out; if the corruption comes from
the Crown's own minions, it's untouchable by all but the Crown.
So your suggestion that there's a “belief that voting rights are
an inherent right that needn't be earned and shouldn't be dependent on
our local government's good behavior,” is a little beside the
point. I hold this belief, but it's only a footnote to a more
comprehensive legal/constitutional analysis of the District. First, of
course, it's a recipe for irresponsibility to sever voting rights from
the entire remainder of political life. Voting is only about two percent
of political existence, which is comprised of local organizing,
education, party building, platform shaping, campaigning, lobbying,
drafting of legislation, etc. — all of which are of the essence of
citizenship. But this then helps show that good government follows from
full citizenship. Judging good government before you've got all the
rights of citizenship which lead to good government and before that “government” is truly a government (and is not just an
administrative agency of another government — the majority of which is
not accountable to you), is like being judged on your swimming before
you're in the water. Just as it's a precondition to swimming that you be
in the water, it's a precondition to good government that you have the
powers of true citizenship to frame one and that it be a true government
when you're done. Then we can judge it as a government. But, as I said,
this doesn't excuse the corruption or plain stupidity of the colonial
administrators. Even though the have to split their accountability
between those who elect them and those who rule them, they still owe a
duty to those who elect them, and you are correct to call it negligence
if this is overlooked or subsumed in what some might call a larger
battle.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Brand new 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD, steel blue, 10K miles,
extended 50K/5yr warranty (retails for $1500)! Circumstances require
sale. $26,500.00. Call 328-6666 or E-mail RKaufmann@Jackscamp.com.
###############
Per one reader's recommendation, I am dropping the price: 800 MHz
computer with 256 mg RAM, 30G HD, 17" monitor, network connection,
and printer. Good computer in great shape. I move to Africa in June 1
through December and am taking my lap top instead. $550 for entire
system.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — WANTED
For family reunion in July, I am seeking a new or used instant camera
to rent or buy, and film. Suggestions appreciated.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers Wanted to Learn about Political Campaigning
William Aston, ccadadc2@aol.com
A coalition of organizations and activists is seeking District
residents to participate in The Voters Empowerment Project, which will
provide training for residents in organizing political campaigns,
lobbying for causes, and how campaigns are run. Volunteers will receive
classroom instruction, homework, assigned to campaigns, and one-on-one
counseling. Senior Citizens and Students are welcome. Contact The Voter
Empowerment Project at 271-5522.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
In reply to Phil Shapiro's message: haven't used him, but a guy with
whom I spoke has run an ad for years in the services section of the NW
Current. I was going to use him but found a charitable outlet for my
used goods.
###############
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